Microsoft Office Alternatives

Microsoft Office has been a popular player in office suite software since the beginning. However, now there are so many other solutions that MS Office may not be the right one for your business.

Overall, Microsoft Office still gives many businesses what they need, and it has great features for both online and offline use. If you’re looking for the same quality solution, Google Workspace has plenty of tools, including excellent collaboration features that go beyond most other office suite software.

Other options work better if you plan to use your software with Apple products, if you need a more basic solution, or if you want something similar to Microsoft Office but cheaper. We’ve researched several alternatives to Microsoft Office to help you make the best choice for your business.

The Best Microsoft Office Alternatives

The best Microsoft Office alternatives give you everything you can find with Office and more. While some go beyond the basics, others stick to the familiar Office layout and functions.

Google Workspace comes out on top as the best office suite for most. It allows for better collaboration than Microsoft Office, and many businesses already use it. It includes several Google apps built in for a comprehensive and affordable office solution. Try it free for 14 days.

Microsoft 365 is like Microsoft Office’s older, wiser sibling, and it works best for online and offline use compared to other alternatives. It’s different from Office on its own, and it contains Office’s apps along with additional business-specific apps to round out its capabilities. Microsoft 365 expands upon Office with more collaboration features, storage, and apps to improve your workflow. Try it free for 30 days.

Zoho Workplace brings you the best basic suite, and it’s newer than most other software. With nine apps to streamline your workflow, it gives you an affordable office suite that works well for small businesses. Try its Professional package free for 15 days.

iWork is best for Apple users who want something similar to Microsoft Office. Its streamlined interface lets you create stunning presentations and organized documents that your team can collaborate on. Get it free for your business.

With WPS Office, you essentially get a cheaper Microsoft Office replica. Its interface is based on Office, and if you’re used to that layout, you’ll have no problem jumping into WPS. It comes with the same apps as Office, with a word processor, presentations, and spreadsheets. Download it free.

Our Take on Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office on its own is pretty basic. It offers a bare-bones platform for your business workflow and collaboration, and it only comes with a handful of apps, including:

Word
Excel
OneNote
Teams
PowerPoint
Outlook

It works well for small businesses that don’t need more than that. However, it’s expensive for what it offers, even if it does give you a perpetual license. With alternatives, you can find cheaper versions that give you more tools for your team.

The regular Office product is a one-time purchase with two package options:

Office Home and Student 2021: $149.99
Office Home and Business 2021: $249.99

Home and Business comes with Outlook, but the software doesn’t update with any improvements. It functions for simple business needs, but it’s not suitable for businesses with more complex office suite needs. Microsoft Office has long been one of the most popular software solutions, but now you’ve got other options, even among Microsoft products, that have more apps and offer a high-quality office suite solution.

Microsoft Office vs. Google Workspace

Google Workspace is well-known, popular, and works well with 12 apps built-in with many more that you can buy separately. It works on the web and on mobile, so you can access it wherever you work.

The software makes it easy to collaborate with your team using Docs, Chat, Meet, and more. It allows everyone involved to live edit together, providing resources to improve productivity when they all have access to what they need.

Google Workspace integrates seamlessly with other productivity tools, and you can even collaborate on your existing Microsoft files. It offers many more collaboration features than Microsoft Office, and it gives you an upgrade if you prefer to work online using its cloud-based solutions.

Microsoft Office, on the other hand, works better if you don’t need so many features. Google Workspace is a cheaper alternative with more apps and better functionality.

Google Workspace has four packages to choose from:

These packages include video meetings with up to 500 people, which Microsoft Office doesn’t. Google Workspace also brings with it plenty of storage in each package, all the way up to unlimited storage with the Enterprise tier.

Google Workspace comes with advanced security features, as well as standard and enhanced support options. Its custom email keeps all your communications in one place, and you can use the software’s security controls to ensure all your files stay protected.

The software offers more options as you upgrade, whereas Microsoft Office only gives you what you get in its two packages, forever. Even among those two packages, only one is intended for business, which means that Google Workspace gives you more ways to customize your workflow and communicate with your team.

Microsoft Office vs. Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 offers a similar set of features as the regular Microsoft Office package. However, Microsoft 365 gives you more to work with and more comprehensive capabilities for your workflow and team collaboration.

The software comes with 15 apps to promote productivity, plus other premium apps that you can purchase. You can work on and edit your documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more anywhere using multiple devices online or offline.

Microsoft 365 is compatible with Windows, Apple, iOS, and Android to give you access to your office suite whenever you need it. However, the desktop version remains the best version, so if you do a lot of mobile work, this may not be the right choice for your business.

Essentially, if you love Microsoft Office but need more to work with, Microsoft 365 is worth looking into. It contains Office apps, so you’re still getting the same tools, which works well if you already like the software you have.

Microsoft 365 has four plans:

Business Basic: $5 per user per month
Apps for Business: $8.25 per user per month
Business Standard: $12.50 per user per month
Business Premium: $20 per user per month

Microsoft 365 brings you Microsoft Teams, which the basic Office package doesn’t offer, allowing you to conduct meetings and calls, as well as chat in one place. Office on its own works fine if you don’t need those things, but many businesses prefer having the option for convenience and efficiency.

With Microsoft 365, you keep the familiar interface while reaping the benefits of business suite software. This solution has more security features, and, unlike the general Office version, it updates with new features and improvements to the software.

Microsoft Office vs. Zoho Workplace

Zoho Workplace brings you back to basics, so it doesn’t offer a whole lot more than your Microsoft Office package. With this software solution, the step-up comes with its online functionality.

It has nine apps built-in, and with Zoho you can get up to 45 more based on your individual business needs. The software has a short learning curve, so it’s quick and easy to set up and use. It’s also one of the cheapest Microsoft Office alternative options.

Zoho Workplace offers many similar features to Office, including its word processor, spreadsheets, and email apps. It also includes online training and meetings with the social internet, which sets it apart from Microsoft Office.

You can choose from four Zoho Workplace packages:

Mail Only Plan: $1 per user per month
Standard: $3 per user per month
Mail Premium: $4 per user per month
Professional: $6 per user per month

Zoho Workplace has a wide selection of email features, which makes it comparable to Microsoft Office’s Outlook. The software’s most popular Standard package allows you to share up to 500MB files and gives you 100GB storage. It also supports remote work with video conferencing that includes up to 10 people and screen sharing to ensure everyone stays on the same page throughout your meetings.

Microsoft Office vs. iWork

iWork gives Apple users an option that works for them when Google Workspace and Microsoft Office don’t cut it. Its desktop and mobile versions give you multiple ways to work online and collaborate with your team.

iWork compares more closely to Office than many other alternative apps because it only comes with three office apps, including:

Pages
Numbers
Keynotes

These apps give you word processing, spreadsheets, and slideshows, respectively. The small app selection can be a disadvantage for businesses that need more complex solutions, whether that means meetings, chat, storage, or other features that streamline workflow in ways that iWork and Microsoft Office can’t.

iWork only works with Apple devices, so it’s not right for you if your business is made up of Windows users. However, if you have a company of Apple users, iWork makes it easy to collaborate on the same documents at once with all its apps. You can even use it from iCloud.com.

All the solution’s tools use a similar setup to each other, which makes learning and using them extra simple. The software does most of the same things as Microsoft Office and makes real time collaboration even more seamless with a central location for all your files.

iWork comes in one package as a free app, which you can download on any Apple device.

Microsoft Office vs. WPS Office

WPS Office is the closest thing to a Microsoft Office clone you can get. Its apps are in its name—it comes with Writer, Presentation, and Spreadsheets, giving you the same capabilities you get with Office in a similar layout.

If you’re attached to Microsoft products and setup, this software is ideal for you as an Apple or Linux user. WPS Office’s interface is based on Microsoft’s, so there’s a reason it feels familiar.

WPS Office supports 47 different file formats, including:

.pdf
.jpg
.png
.xls
.xlsx
.doc
.rtf

The software comes with plenty of themes and templates to choose from, and its document tabs feature lets you manage several documents at once. The WPS Cloud also uses two-way sync so that you can access and make changes to your files online.

WPS Office does go beyond Microsoft Office with a few additional features. It comes with electronic document signing, a .pdf converter, .pdf editing, and cloud collaboration.

WPS Office offers three packages, including:

WPS Standard: Free
WPS Premium: $18.99 for six months, $29.99 for one year
WPS Business: Custom pricing

WPS Office is likely the closest office suite solution you’ll find to Microsoft Office. You can also get it in 13 languages on PC and 46 when you use the mobile version. Unlike other office suites, when you purchase a more advanced package of WPS Office, most of what you get adds more in-depth functionality to its existing apps, rather than including additional features or tools.

Summary

Microsoft Office may be popular, but it’s not the only option out there. Most businesses will find Google Workspace the best fit for all it has to offer.

WPS Office has the closest layout and functionality to Office with its more bare-bones approach as an office suite. And, if you like Microsoft Office but need an upgrade, Microsoft 365 is the way to go. No matter which you choose, each of these Microsoft Office alternatives can help you organize your workflow and improve team collaboration.